In a recent presentation slide leaked to the Web, Intel outlines its next-generation Thunderbolt specification – “Alpine Ridge” that will boast double the throughput of current Thunderbolt 2 interface, while bringing massive gains in power efficiency. According to the supposedly leaked slide published by VR Zone, Intel is looking to significantly boost Thunderbolt’s specs and compatibility with the next-gen product, while reducing power consumption for ultraportable computers.

Alpine Ridge is set to feature a new design capable of handling transfer rates up to 40 gigabits per second, double that of the current “Falcon Ridge” controller. Users will be able to pipe data through DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0 and HDMI 2.0. Also supported is generation three of the speedy PCIe bus.

On the power side consumption will supposedly be decreased by 50% while a new form factor connector brings 100 watts of charging power over a single cable. The next-generation plug is to be about 3mm thick and “facilitates increased bandwidth.” Adapters will be available for backward compatibility.

The purported slide notes two connector types will be introduced in a dual port connector for daisy chaining and a single port version. Assuming the slide is correct, Alpine Ridge will see release in 2015 alongside a new CPU dubbed “Skylake.”

What the heck, I didn't even know there was HDMI 2... What's that all about, support for even higher resolutions?

Support for 4k displays and it's supposed to include a feature where is can power dongles without the need for USB cords. Remember, hdmi is a digital connection and was built to handle a certain amount of bandwidth, just like Ethernet cords.